Gov. Justice issues statement on closures of Pinnacle Mine in Wyoming County, ABB facility in Greenbrier County

CHARLESTON, WV (WOAY) – Gov. Jim Justice issued the following statement on Friday in response to the announced closure of the Pinnacle Mine in Wyoming County and the ABB control systems facility in Greenbrier County.

“Over the past several months, we’ve had great news upon great news in West Virginia. But today we have some not so good news. We have the Pinnacle Mine closing in Wyoming County that will displace a lot, a lot of miners.

“We hope like crazy that that mine will go back to work and I’m working on it as best as I possibly can. We’re very hopeful that the mine has not seen its last days. The mine still has some very quality reserves and we’re very, very hopeful that the mine will go back to work either through the sale of the mine to another party or maybe, just maybe, things will happen to where the mine will be able to go back to work with the ownership that’s there. While I’m directly involved, I’ve also asked our Commerce Department to get involved in the biggest way they possibly can to try to figure out every way and any way that we can get these miners back to work either at that mine or at another mine close by.

“Another disappointing happening is that owners of the ABB, Inc. plant, right outside of Lewisburg, said that they were closing their doors and they’re relocating those employees to Oklahoma or maybe even Canada,” Gov. Justice added. “You can just imagine, people that have grown to love Greenbrier County and West Virginia for their entire life now going to be asked to move. It’s not a good day.

“I have been in contact this afternoon with the powers that be at ABB trying to urge them in every way and any way to reconsider their decision. It’s not over, it’s surely not over until it’s over and we’re not going to stop trying until there’s absolutely no other recourse. Nevertheless, you know I know those people are having a tough go of it today and we’re going to keep trying in every way we possibly can from the Governor’s Office, the Commerce Department and myself to see what can be done with that situation as well.”

Tyler Barker is currently the Interim News Director and Digital Content Manager for WOAY-TV. I was promoted to this job in Mid-November. I still will fill in on weather from time to time. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter @wxtylerb. Have any news tips or weather questions? Email me at tbarker@woay.com